Dewaterer for flaked agar or the like



Sept. 3, 1929.

J. BECKER DEWATERER FOR FLAKED AGAR OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 4, 1926Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BECKER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN AGAR COM-PANY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA.

DEWATERER FOR FLAKED AGAR OR THE LIKE.

Application filed December 4, 1926.

My invention relates to a dewatering apparatus, more 'particularlyadapted for dewatering agar .in the processof its production, or anyother colloidal substances, and the objects of my invention are: first,to provide a flaked agar dewatering apparatus which will efficientlyhandle such colloidal substances and separate the water from the agar orother colloidal products; second, to provide an apparatus of this classwith means for agitating the agar and water when separating the agarfrom the water by suction means; third, to provide an apparatus of thisclass in which the water is drawn from the to a separate reservoir;fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is automatic in itsaction, and fifth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is verysimple and economical of construction, durable, efficient in its action,and which Will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

\Vith these and other objects in View, as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists T of certain novel features of construction, con1-bination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my dewatering apparatus, showingsome of the parts and portions broken away to facilitate theillustration; Fig. 2 is a partial sectional and elevational view of thesame at a right angle to that of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional viewof the, stationary central drum portion of the apparatus.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The trough l, agitator 2, leg members 3, brackets 4 and 5, stationarydrum 6, revolving drum consisting of the side plates 7 and 8, annularouter plate 9, screen 10, tubes 11, inner "revolving drum 12, gear 13,pinion 1 1, pulleys 15 and 16, drive wheel 17, and scraper 18,constitute the principal parts and portions of my dewatering apparatus.

The trough 1 is a semicircularly formed sheet metal trough and issupported on four legs 3. These legs 3 also support the large brackets 4and 5, which are in spaced relation Serial No. 152,715.

and annular in form, forming journals for the member 12 to revolve in.The bracket 5, it will be noted, extends downwardly upon the leg 3 onone side and provides a journal for a shaft 15 upon which the pinion 1 1is mounted and also a pulley 15 and the main drive pulley 17.

Mounted on the lower side of the trough 1 are the journal members 1 and1 in which is revolubly mounted the agitator 2, which is a twisted sheetmetal plate, which is shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings, providedwith a shaft portion, which extends through the journal 1*, and mountedon the end of the shaft extending through the journal 1' is a pulley 16,operated by means of a belt 16 extending over the pulley 15, which is onthe main shaft 15*,

Meshing with the pinion 14 is a spur gear 13, which is rigidly securedon the end of the member 12, thus providing means for rev0lv ing themember 12 in the journals formed by the brackets 4 and 5. Positioned inthe member 12 is a stationary drum member 6, around which the member 12revolves. This stationary member 6 isheld from revolving by means of abracket 1 which is secured to the end of the member 6 and also to thebracket d.

The drum member 6 is provided on its inner side on one side with aninwardly extending portion 6, which is hollow, providing a suctionconductor 6 extending from end to end on the interior of the member 6.It is also provided with a pair of rows of holes 6 extending from itsexterior to its interior, as shown best in Fig. 3.

Mounted on the end of the member 12 is an annular member 12 by means ofbolts 12 adapted to hold the packing 12 for forming a tight jointbetween the members 6 and 12 at the end.

Mounted in the member 12 are a plurality of radiating tubes 11, whichare secured therein by means of lock nuts 11. The inner ends of thesetubes are in alinement with and adapted to revolve over the holes 6 inthe member 6 with the revolution of the member 12 relative to the member6. The tubes 11 are provided on their outer ends with flanges 11 onwhich is mounted the annular member 9. This annular member 9 is providedwith a shaft portion 9 over which is mounted a screen 10. This screen 10is adapted to hold the flaked agar, but permits the water to filterthrough the screen. It has been found that fine baked. Monel metalscreen is preferable to fabric for this filtering purpose. The tubes 9an screen 1 0, forming 'adrum :for the-flaked .agar to rest against?Mounted on. the one sideof the'trough .1 by means of a bracket 18'is1the scraper member 18, WhIChGXtGIldS pastthe edge of thetrough atone end, and its other endis placed in juxtaposition to the screen, asshown best in Fig. 1'

of the drawings,adaptcdjto scrapethefiaked dewatered agar fromthescreenandconduct it away from the apparatus;

The operation of the apparatus is as-vfollows:

Agar with the'water ispl acedin the trough 1. The stationary drum 6 isconnected with a suction pump by means of the conductor 6, thusproviding suction in theinterior of the drum'6 at all times. The drum,consisting of the members 7 to 12,.inclusive, is-revolved by -means ofthe gear13, pinion e14, shaft 15 and drive wheel 17. The-endsofthe tubes11 pass over the ports 6 of the member 6. The flaked agar is caused tobe drawn against the screen 10 by thesuction, the Water and agar beingthoroughly agitated by means of the agitator 2. The Water is drawn fromthe agar through the screen 10, passes through the tubes 11 into theinterior of the'drun 6 and out through the conductor 6 by the suction ofthe pump, while the flaked agar passes around on the drum and is-scrapedfrom the drum bymeans of the scraper 18 and is conducted away fromthe-apparatus by means of the extended portion of said scraper.

Though I have shownand described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement -'of parts :and Yportions, l Ldoxnot wish tobe limitedto 'thisparticular tconstruc- 1 tion, combination :and arrangement, butdesire to include in theiscop'esofLmy invention, the construction,;combination and rearrangement substantiall yiasset'fortlrin:thezappendq7 ed claims;

from: its interior?to its exterior, a cylindrical memberrevolublymounted on said "suction;

drum provided with openings thereinaadapt-v ed to communicate with .the;openings sin'said suction drum, and tubes connectingusaid :ori= ficeswith the interior surface of L'said filter surface.

2. Inv an apparatus of the class-described,;a semicircular. trough, a.an agitator revolubly mounted in the lower.side.thereofitaudrum providedwith a filter surface revolubly mounted with a portion inrsa'id trough,a-suction drum provided withia plurality of orifices from itsinteriortolitsaexterior, a cy linw Y drical member revolublyzmounted on1 saidsuction drum provided'withl openings therein adapted tocommunicateawith'tthe openings in said suction drum, tubesconnectingsaid orifices with the interior surface of said filter 1surface, and means' 'for simultaneously revolving said idrumgandsaidagitator.

In testimony whereof; I havehereuntoset my hand at 'SanDiego,-Galifornia-, this 27 th day of November, 1928.

JOHN BECKER.

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